Spunky Anglo-Asian director Gurinder Chadha was born in Kenya and began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio. She directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, including the 30-minute documentary, `I`m English But...`. The film followed young English Asians who, unlike their parents, listen to Acid Bhangra, a mix of Punjabi bhangra and rap. Chadha`s feature directorial debut, Bhaji on the Beach (1993) was an Asian feminist comedy with a cheeky wit and a more serious political and cultural theme. And then came Bend It Like Beckham (2002). Chadha’s cheeky comedy about an Asian girl who takes a fancy to football, while trying to balance it with her parent’s demands, was one of the smash hits of 2002.
